Rasputin Info Essay, Research Paper

Grigory Yefimovich Rasputin was born in Tobolsk, far away from the Imperial Capital of St. Petersburg, in 1871. In the years he remained within the Imperial court, witnesses, including doctors, concluded he possessed some extraordinary healing power over the Tsarevich and his deadly illness, hemophilia. Rasputin’s mysterious ability to heal Alexei convinced the Tsarina Aleksandra that Rasputin must have been sent by God himself. In her mind he was he the answer to her prayers for God to save her son. His influence over the Imperial government has been debated for decades. Rasputin’s rise to political influence was due to his close relationship with the Tsarina. During World War I, with the Tsar at the front, the Tsarina was in command of the Imperial government. With Alexandra, a German born Princess, in control of the Russian government at a time when Russia was at war with Germany, the Russian people held a horrible hatred towards her. There is no doubt among historians that Rasputin gave his advice on government affairs freely to the Tsarina. But Rasputin’s power was more illusion than reality. Any and all ministry recommendations he may have gave to the Tsarina were ultimely approved of and backed by Nicholas, who more or less accepted the Tsarina’s decisions even against his own wishes. Rasputin, in the end, for the Russian people, became a scapegoat of a failed empire.

Rasputin’s original rise to the Imperial court began as Russia attempted to establish a constitutional monarchy. Nicholas had appointed a new Prime Minister, Peter Stolypin after the October Manifesto. Stolypin was Russia’s last hope at intelligent government. His tenure saw major advances in industry and argriculture. Russia, under Stolypin, prospered. However, to the Tsarina, Stolypin was evil. Her hatred for this man who had done so much to preserve Nicholas’ throne, was rooted in that Stolypin had had the courage to take on Rasputin. Stolypin repeatedly told the Tsar that he needed to distance himself and his family from Rasputin. At one point, Stolypin brought to the Tsar documented proof of Rasputin’s wild antics. Alas, the Tsar ignored Stolypin, not wanting to take away from Alexandra the one man she believed could save her sons life. Alexandra’s deep hate for Stolypin ended on September 5, 1911, when a revolutionary, not happy that Stolypin’s industrial efforts had thwarted revolution, assassinated him at the Kiev Opera House, right in front of the Tsar.

Any number of highly respected men in the Russian Orthodox Church fell for Rasputin soon after his appearance at the Imperial court. A holy man he called himself, which in itself was a fallacy, for Rasputin was neither a monk nor a priest. He was, in fact, a starets, an unordained, wandering holy man. Eventually, these supporters turned on him and attempted to send him away from St. Peterburg. But Rasputin knew how to deal with enemies in the church. If a monk, or even a Bishop, opposed him, they might find themself suddenly sent to a remote assignment. Rumors swirled that Rasputin had seduced the Empress, the Grand Duchesses, and Anna Vyrubova, a close friend of the Tsarina whom Rasputin had miraculousy raised from a coma following a terrible train accident. These rumors, which reached the highest circles of society where they were immediately repeated by Aleksandra’s foes, drove Nicolas to near insanity. The remoteness and isolation of the Imperial Family at the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoe Selo allowed for the people to believe any rumor. People began to believe Rasputin had hypnotic control over the Tsar and the Tsarina.

In 1911, only a few months before his assassination, Stolypin made yet another attempt to convince the Tsar of Rasputin’s evil activities. The Tsar read his report, and said nothing. Stolypin decided to take action. He ordered Rasputin to leave St. Petersburg, outraging the Tsarina. Rasputin though, left St. Petersburg, beginning a journey to the Holy Land of Jerusalem. But this self imposed banishment from St. Petersburg was short lived.

For in October of 1912, while the Tsar and his family were at their hunting lodge in Spala, Alexei fell on the side of a bathtub. Bruising and bleeding, Alexei was in terrible pain. The doctors could do nothing for him, and Alexandra spent ten days without sleep at his bedside. A notice was drawn up announcing the death of the heir. Desperate, the Tsarina telegramed Rasputin. “God has seen your tears,” Rasputin wired back. “Do not grieve. The Little One will not die.” Within hours of receiving this telegram, the bleeding had subsided and Alexei began to recover. This incident regained Rasputin to full favor within the Imperial family.

In the spring of 1915, at the urging of Alexandra (and Rasputin), the Tsar took total command of the Russian army fighting in World War I, from his relative, the Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaievich. Nicholas did this despite protests from within the Imperial government. This, while it boosted morale at first, eventually helped lead to the downfall of the Romanovs, for it was at this time, when Alexandra let Raputin’s advice lead Russia towards revolution.

Finally, by late 1916, Vladimir Purishkevich, a member of the Duma, denounced Rasputin before his colleagues. It soon became apparent Purishkevich belonged to a aristocratic plot to murder Rasputin. In December, a group of aristocrats, including the Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich (a cousin of Nicholas), decided that Rasputin’s influence on the Imperial government had grown too great and that he had to be killed in order to save the monarchy, and Russia. They lured him to the Yussupov Palace on the impression that Prince Felix Yussupov (another relative of the Tsar) would introduce Rasputin to his beautiful wife.

Rasputin was led to the cellar and fed cakes and wine laced with poison, but these had no affect on him. Yussupov then shot Rasputin at point blank range and Rasputin collapsed on the floor. When Yussupov went to tell his fellow conspirators Rasputin was dead, they sent him back to make sure. On returning to inspect the body, Rasputin suddenly regained consciousness. The Prince fled the cellar, screaming for help. When Yussupov and Grand Duke Dmitri returned, Rasputin was gone. They found him in the yard crawling towards the gate and proceeded to shoot and bludgeon him. They then bound him and tossed him into the Neva river. When Rasputin’s body was found the next day, his ties were broken and his lungs were filled with water, showing that he didn’t actually die until he was submerged in the frozen waters.

Rasputin was dead, but, it was too late, for the monarchy was dead as well.

Grigory Yefimovich Rasputin was born in Tobolsk, far away from the Imperial Capital of St. Petersburg, in 1871. In the years he remained within the Imperial court, witnesses, including doctors, concluded he possessed some extraordinary healing power over the Tsarevich and his deadly illness, hemophilia. Rasputin’s mysterious ability to heal Alexei convinced the Tsarina Aleksandra that Rasputin must have been sent by God himself. In her mind he was he the answer to her prayers for God to save her son. His influence over the Imperial government has been debated for decades. Rasputin’s rise to political influence was due to his close relationship with the Tsarina. During World War I, with the Tsar at the front, the Tsarina was in command of the Imperial government. With Alexandra, a German born Princess, in control of the Russian government at a time when Russia was at war with Germany, the Russian people held a horrible hatred towards her. There is no doubt among historians that Rasputin gave his advice on government affairs freely to the Tsarina. But Rasputin’s power was more illusion than reality. Any and all ministry recommendations he may have gave to the Tsarina were ultimely approved of and backed by Nicholas, who more or less accepted the Tsarina’s decisions even against his own wishes. Rasputin, in the end, for the Russian people, became a scapegoat of a failed empire.

Rasputin’s original rise to the Imperial court began as Russia attempted to establish a constitutional monarchy. Nicholas had appointed a new Prime Minister, Peter Stolypin after the October Manifesto. Stolypin was Russia’s last hope at intelligent government. His tenure saw major advances in industry and argriculture. Russia, under Stolypin, prospered. However, to the Tsarina, Stolypin was evil. Her hatred for this man who had done so much to preserve Nicholas’ throne, was rooted in that Stolypin had had the courage to take on Rasputin. Stolypin repeatedly told the Tsar that he needed to distance himself and his family from Rasputin. At one point, Stolypin brought to the Tsar documented proof of Rasputin’s wild antics. Alas, the Tsar ignored Stolypin, not wanting to take away from Alexandra the one man she believed could save her sons life. Alexandra’s deep hate for Stolypin ended on September 5, 1911, when a revolutionary, not happy that Stolypin’s industrial efforts had thwarted revolution, assassinated him at the Kiev Opera House, right in front of the Tsar.

Any number of highly respected men in the Russian Orthodox Church fell for Rasputin soon after his appearance at the Imperial court. A holy man he called himself, which in itself was a fallacy, for Rasputin was neither a monk nor a priest. He was, in fact, a starets, an unordained, wandering holy man. Eventually, these supporters turned on him and attempted to send him away from St. Peterburg. But Rasputin knew how to deal with enemies in the church. If a monk, or even a Bishop, opposed him, they might find themself suddenly sent to a remote assignment. Rumors swirled that Rasputin had seduced the Empress, the Grand Duchesses, and Anna Vyrubova, a close friend of the Tsarina whom Rasputin had miraculousy raised from a coma following a terrible train accident. These rumors, which reached the highest circles of society where they were immediately repeated by Aleksandra’s foes, drove Nicolas to near insanity. The remoteness and isolation of the Imperial Family at the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoe Selo allowed for the people to believe any rumor. People began to believe Rasputin had hypnotic control over the Tsar and the Tsarina.

In 1911, only a few months before his assassination, Stolypin made yet another attempt to convince the Tsar of Rasputin’s evil activities. The Tsar read his report, and said nothing. Stolypin decided to take action. He ordered Rasputin to leave St. Petersburg, outraging the Tsarina. Rasputin though, left St. Petersburg, beginning a journey to the Holy Land of Jerusalem. But this self imposed banishment from St. Petersburg was short lived.

For in October of 1912, while the Tsar and his family were at their hunting lodge in Spala, Alexei fell on the side of a bathtub. Bruising and bleeding, Alexei was in terrible pain. The doctors could do nothing for him, and Alexandra spent ten days without sleep at his bedside. A notice was drawn up announcing the death of the heir. Desperate, the Tsarina telegramed Rasputin. “God has seen your tears,” Rasputin wired back. “Do not grieve. The Little One will not die.” Within hours of receiving this telegram, the bleeding had subsided and Alexei began to recover. This incident regained Rasputin to full favor within the Imperial family.

In the spring of 1915, at the urging of Alexandra (and Rasputin), the Tsar took total command of the Russian army fighting in World War I, from his relative, the Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaievich. Nicholas did this despite protests from within the Imperial government. This, while it boosted morale at first, eventually helped lead to the downfall of the Romanovs, for it was at this time, when Alexandra let Raputin’s advice lead Russia towards revolution.

Finally, by late 1916, Vladimir Purishkevich, a member of the Duma, denounced Rasputin before his colleagues. It soon became apparent Purishkevich belonged to a aristocratic plot to murder Rasputin. In December, a group of aristocrats, including the Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich (a cousin of Nicholas), decided that Rasputin’s influence on the Imperial government had grown too great and that he had to be killed in order to save the monarchy, and Russia. They lured him to the Yussupov Palace on the impression that Prince Felix Yussupov (another relative of the Tsar) would introduce Rasputin to his beautiful wife.

Rasputin was led to the cellar and fed cakes and wine laced with poison, but these had no affect on him. Yussupov then shot Rasputin at point blank range and Rasputin collapsed on the floor. When Yussupov went to tell his fellow conspirators Rasputin was dead, they sent him back to make sure. On returning to inspect the body, Rasputin suddenly regained consciousness. The Prince fled the cellar, screaming for help. When Yussupov and Grand Duke Dmitri returned, Rasputin was gone. They found him in the yard crawling towards the gate and proceeded to shoot and bludgeon him. They then bound him and tossed him into the Neva river. When Rasputin’s body was found the next day, his ties were broken and his lungs were filled with water, showing that he didn’t actually die until he was submerged in the frozen waters.

Rasputin was dead, but, it was too late, for the monarchy was dead as well.

I write and leave behind me this letter at St. Petersburg. I feel that I shall leave life before January 1st. I wish to make known to the Russian people, to Papa, to the Russian Mother and to the children, to the land of Russia, what they must understand. If I am killed by common assassins, and especially by my brothers the Russian peasants, you, Tsar of Russia, have nothing to fear, remain on your throne and govern, and you, Russian Tsar, will have nothing to fear for your children, they will reign for hundreds of years in Russia. But if I am murdered by boyars, nobles, and if they shed my blood, their hands will remain soiled with my blood, for twenty-five years they will not wash their hands from my blood. They will leave Russia. Brothers will kill brothers, and they will kill each other and hate each other, and for twenty-five years there will be no noblers in the country. Tsar of the land of Russia, if you hear the sound of the bell which will tell you that Grigory has been killed, you must know this: if it was your relations who have wrought my death then no one of your family, that is to say, none of your children or relations will remain alive for more than two years. They will be killed by the Russian people…I shall be killed. I am no longer among the living. Pray, pray, be strong, think of your blessed family.

Words written by Grigory Rasputin in a letter to the Tsarina Alexandra, 7 Dec 1916

23 days later, Rasputin was killed, by two relatives of the Tsar Nicholas II

19 months after Rasputin’s death, the Tsar and his family lay dead

Grigori Yefimovitch Rasputin is one of the most mysterious, notorious and disputed figures in modern history. Who was this man who seemingly had strange powers and a mysterious influnce over others, with eyes that many claimed changed colors when they spoke to the monk. Did Rasputin have some sort of supernatural link, as he claimed? O r was he a charlatan who had a mastery of hypnosis and one of the most immense libidos ever to walk the Earth? It is hard to find reputable sources of information on Rasputin; most stories about him come from his daughter, the weak-willed tsar or easily du ped peasants. However, a few events, such as his power over the Tsarevitch’s hemophilia and his assassination were witnessed by many parties and have been analyzed a great deal.line line The matter of Rasputin’s extremely active sex life is one of almost definite f act. He is reported to have held orgies in his basement of his house during the time he lived with his wife, around 1900. Later, after Rasputin became famous, he attracted a large female following. Many pictures taken of Rasputin, surrounded by women, exi s t. However, the reports that Rasputin raped a lot of women are generally untrue; he didn’t really need to. All of these activities did not conflict with Rasputin’s religious beliefs, as one would probably believe. Rasputin, who did not particalarly care f o r the Orthodox religion, was a member of the renegade Khlisti sect. Followers of the Khlisti set of beliefs held that all of man’s desires should be fulfilled, and members often held orgies to meet this end. In fact, some claimed Rasputin thought that he derived vitality from having sex. Reports of Rasputin having an affair with the tsarina are patently false; they were spread by tabloid newspapers after the royal family was deposed.line line While Rasputin did not have an affair with the tsarina, he did have sway over her, along with the rest of the royal family. The tsar would often consult with the man who could heal his son, giving Rasputin input into important royal decisions. How much actual power Rasputin held command of is argued by historians. Some maintai n that Rasputin virtually controlled the tsar, while others say that Rasputin did not have much real political clout. Rasputin had many powerful enemies who tried to control his influence.line line The source of all this influence, and the main reason people still remember Rasputin, were the odd abilities he supposedly possessed. As early as 1900, Rasputin was famous throughout Eastern Russia as a sort of faith healer and strannik, or wandering holy mendicant. Rasputin also was said to have the power of precognitio n , predicting events that happened months later, and clairvoyance, which is the ability to see events happening elsewhere. Many claimed to have seen these abilties at work, and some attributed them to some Oriental religion, which Rasputin knew something o f . Rasputin supposedly predicted his own death, but this could have been done by simple logic, as it was well-known that many groups wished Rasputin dead. Rasputin was also said to have a strange influence over others. People reported feeling compelled to d o things while in his presence, something most skeptics attribute to some form of hypnosis. However, a few stranger stories exist, accounts of Rasputin’s enemies taking action to protect him, even though he was hundreds of miles away. These stories are no t widely accepted, as they are unproven and isolated.line line Rasputin gained his greatest fame for his ability to help the Tsarevitch Aleksei stop bleeding. One incident, which happened in 1912 is the best-known example. The Tsarevitch had badly bruised himself a nd was bleeding to death. The doctors assembled to care for him pronounced that nothing could be done for the boy, who lingered in this state for a few days. When Rasputin came to the tsarevitch’s bedside, he waved his hands over the boy, spoke to him bri e fly, then stated that he was better. And, according to the many doctors and scientific skeptics who viewed this, the boy did recover. Many today guess that Rasputin used some sort of potent hypnosis to slow the boy’s heartbeat, but that is mere conjecture ; several scholars dispute this idea.line line The story of Rasputin’s assassination has been told and confirmed by multiple members of those who conspired to kill him, but small points are still argued by scholars today. Attempts on Rasputin’s life had been made b efore-once he was gutted by a religious fanatic and nearly died. However, even his unnatural constitution could not save him from a group of conspirators and the man who killed him, Prince Felix Felixovitch Yussupov. Rasputin, who had actually taken the f i rst step to get to know Prince Yussupov, was invited over for a party. The prince’s group had prepared chocolate cakes and wine, both heavily laced with potassium cyanide. Rasputin reluctantly ate a few cakes, then complained of a dry throat and guzzled d o wn the wine-at this point he had taken enough cyanide to kill six men. Rasputin said he felt a burning sensation in his stomach and appeared sleepy for a few moments, then suddenly became alert and asked the prince to sing for him. The nervous Yussupov co m plied, then ran upstairs to inform his co-conspirators that the poison had no effect. He got a pistol from them, then went back to the waiting Rasputin, was looking at an art object, either a painting or a crucifix. The prince asker Rasputin to take a clo s er look, then shot him in the chest. Sure that Rasputin was dead, Yussupov got his friends, who checked the body. Soon after, Yussupov came back down. (Note: Despite what early stories say, Yussupov was probably not throwing up over the balcony while his f riends were looking at the body.) As he bent over to look at Rasputin, the formerly lifeless corpse rose and grabbed Yussupov in an unbreakable grip. Yussupov freed himself, perhaps by knifing Rasputin, and ran out the door. According to diaries, Rasputin actually got up and ran out the door, where he was chased and shot. The body was taken back inside, beaten, tied up and thrown in the river.line line It was never conclusively proven either way about Rasputin’s strange abilities. Many of the scholars who researche d his story belive that some of the strange stories about him may actually be true. Certainly the man was unnaturally tough, and quite a few sources back up some of the other stories told about him.

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Rasputin

English 10 Honors 8*

May 22, 2000

English 10 Honors 8*

May 22, 2000

Rasputin

Throughout history there have been many odd characters. Russian history was not excluded. Grigory Rasputin, who was an assistant to the Royal Russian family, was an unusual man.

Grigory Yefimovich Novykh was born on January 23, 1871, in Tobolsk, Russia (DISCovering). He earned the name Rasputin which is Russian for debauched one (Rasputin). Grigory Rasputin was born in western Siberia, in the town of Pokrovskoe, says another source (Fuhrmann 1). The name Grigory indicates Rasputin may have been born on January 10, the day dedicated to St. Grigory of Nicea (Fuhrmann 1). Although the actual date and place of birth cannot be determined, one fact is known for certain: Rasputin had an influence over the health of the young Aleksey Nickolayovich, hemophiliac heir to the Russian throne (Rasputin). Grigory had been against war, but was recognized for his drunkeness (Radzinsky 271). Before Rasputin got his job with the Russian family, he lived off donations from peasants because of his claim of being a self- proclaimed holy man (Rasputin).

[Grigory] underwent a religious conversion at 18, where he was introduced to the Khlysty sect (Rasputin). Rasputin s ideas were heretical from the chruch s viewpoint, however he was charged with using religion to impress people and advance himself (Fuhrmann 44). A doctrine of the Khlysty sect states that one was nearest God

when feeling holy passionlessness and that the best way to reach such a state was through the sexual exhaustion that came after prolonged debauchery (Rasputin). After marrying Proskovia Fyodorovna and bearing four children, Rasputin left home and wandered through Greece and Jerusalem. (Rasputin). He was a strict father. His daughters weren t allowed to go outside alone and Sundays were devoted to home worship (Fuhrmann 33).

Rasputin s loyalty to the czar and his family made him immune to the attempts of exile from Russia (DISCovering). Aleksey Nickolayevich was a hemophiliac (Rasputin). On one certain occasion, doctors were called in to check on the young heir. After nothing seemed to help, Grigory Rasputin, who was reported to have miraculous powers of faith healing, was brought to Alexandra (Massie 259). Rasputin didn t cure Aleksey of hemophilia, but his ability to control the symptoms was indisputable (Fuhrmann 26). In December 1916, a group of conservative aristocrats laced Rasputin s wine with potassium cyanide at a soiree in the Yousoupov Palace (DISCovering). The poison wasn t strong enough to kill Rasputin. He was shot once, lurched at his attackers and they shot him again (DISCovering). The assumed to be dead body was thrown in a river. On December 19, a corpse surfaced in the Malaya Neuka River. Evidence showed the hands had been trying to untie the ropes and were raised (Radzinsky 483).

Grigory Rasputin, who was eccentric, assisted the young heir Aleksey with his hemophilia. There are arguments surrounding Rasputin s birth time and place. Rasputin

formed his own religious sect. He also survived two gunshot wounds before dying. Rasputin was a controversial man.

Works Cited

Discovering Biography. The Gale Group. 9 May 2000 .

Fuhrmann, Joseph T. Rasputin, A Life. New York: Praeger Publishers, 1990.

Massie, Robert K. The Romanovs: The Final Chapter. New York: Random House,

1995.

Radzinsky, Edvard. The Rasputin File. New York: Nan A. Talese, 2000.

Rasputin, Grigory Yefimovich. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 9 May 2000

http://search.eb.com/bol/topic?eu=64340&sctn=1.

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